Editor’s note: Inman News Publisher Bradley Inman wrote an interesting blog about why real estate brokers have not gone after online consumers more aggressively. We’d like to hear your comments on these observations. Please see the comments section of the blog to add your two cents.
Here are 10 ideas on why more real estate broker-owners are not investing in Web customer acquisition strategies more aggressively:
1. For decades, their tried and tested model for getting business has been paying sales commissions to real estate agents.
2. Agents tend to pay for consumer marketing, not brokers.
3. The lead management technology out there to help brokers digest and distribute leads is not very good.
4. Brokers have incentive to give Web leads to low-performing agents for better splits. That creates trouble in the office with top producers and gives an inferior experience to the consumer.
5. Some brokers who have tested online lead programs have been disappointed with the results.
6. To do it right, brokers need to invest big dollars, like Weichert has, in e-commerce systems.
7. To justify the economics of the investment, brokers must also sell a referral program inside the company, which is not very popular with agents.
8. The housing market has slowed, putting broker attention elsewhere.
9. Technology intimidates many brokers.
10. Many brokers put their attention on fighting Web innovation instead of embracing it.
What do you think?
Leave your comments at the Inman News blog by clicking here.
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